Wire guide assembly for multiple coil winding machine

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an improved wire guide assembly for multiple coil winding machines which have a laterally driven guide shaft. To permit precise lateral adjustment of the position of a wire guide support, an annular member is engaged on a threaded portion of the guide shaft and coupled to to the wire guide support means so that lateral movement of the annular member along the threaded portion of the shaft is translated into corresponding lateral movement of the wire guide support relative to the shaft and to a stationary multiple coil from. When used in conjunction with an improved index assembly, which is also disclosed, coil margin length and winding length can readily and accurately be determined and adjusted for different size coils.

Clifford et al.

i151 3,675,860 51 July 11, 1972 [54] WIRE GUIDE ASSEMBLY FOR MULTIPLE COIL WINDING MACHINE [72] Inventors: Thomas J. Clifford, Massapequa; Robert C. Nelson, Bethpage, both of NY.

[51] Int. Cl. ..H0lf 11/04 [58] Field ofSearch 242/7.l 1, 18 A, 158, 35.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,944,581 1/1934 Snyder ..242/7.l1X 2,462,393 2/1949 Haynes ..242/7.llX

Primary ExaminerBilly S. Taylor Attorney-Edward A. Onders ABSTRACT Disclosed is an improved wire guide assembly for multiple coil winding machines which have a laterally driven guide shaft. To pemiit precise lateral adjustment of the position of a wire guide support, an annular member is engaged on a threaded portion of the guide shaft and coupled to to the wire guide support means so that lateral movement -of the annular member along the threaded portion of the shaft is translated into corresponding lateral movement of the wire guide support relative to the shafl and to a stationary multiple coil from. When used in conjunction with an improved index assembly. which is also disclosed, coil margin length and winding length can readily and accurately be determined and adjusted for different size coils.

7 Claims, Drawing figures P'A 'TENTEDJUL 11 m2 3. 675,860

FIG. I

FIG.3

WIRE GUIDE ASSEMBLY FOR MULTIPLE COIL WINDING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to coil winding machines, and in particular to multiple coil winding machines which have a wire guide assembly that moves laterally with respect to a stationary multiple coil form.

When coils are wound on a multiple coil form, an unused space, called margin" must be maintained on either side of each coil to meet electrical and mechanical design requirements and so that each coil may be readily cut from the multiple coil form after the winding operation is complete. This margin may be equal on both sides of the coil or it may be unequal, depending upon the particular design requirements, and in coils wound in multiple layers with different winding lengths the margin will vary from layer to layer. The coil margin is set up prior to the commencement of winding and after the wire guide assembly has been initially positioned with respect to a reference point on the multiple coil form from which the measurement of margin is made.

Prior art coil winding machines utilize either a plurality of individual wire guides, or a cylindrical bar having grooves circumscribed on the bar at specified locations along its length, for guiding wires onto the coil form. For each change in margin length, the wire guides must be shifted laterally with respect to the coil winding form in order to create the proper margin for each coil. In the case of the individual wire guides, each must be adjusted separately in a slow, tedious process. Another method of adjustment is to machine additional grooves in a cylindrical bar wire guide, or to laterally shift the coil winding form on its mountings. However, these methods are undesirable in that they are inaccurate, time consuming and require machine operators to be highly trained.

Furthermore, in prior art machines coil length, or winding length is measured with the aid of a general index scale by a trial-and-error adjustment of the machine's gearing and is made while the machine is running. The desired margin length must be deducted from the total winding length indicated on this scale to obtain the actual coil winding length. This procedure gives rise to frequent computational errors by machine operators, which result in defective coils being wound.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved wire guide assembly whereby the position of the wire guides of a multiple coil winding machine can be readily and accurately adjusted with respect to a stationary multiple coil form.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide simplified means for establishing coil margins and for accurately measuring coil winding length.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided in a multiple coil winding machine of the type having a wire guide assembly that includes a laterally driven guide shaft which causes the assembly to move laterally with respect to a laterally stationary multiple coil form, an improved wire guide assembly which comprises a nonrotating, laterally driven guide shaft having a threaded portion whose length is at least equal to the maximum margin length desired for coils wound on the coil winding machine, and wire guide means for guiding a plurality of wires onto corresponding portions of the coil form, with means for supporting the wire guide means sub stantially parallel to the coil form and to the shaft. The improved assembly also comprises a first member having a threaded hole which engages the threaded portion of the shaft, which member can be positioned at any point along the threaded portion of the shaft by rotating the member about the shaft. The improved assembly finally comprises coupling means, connected to the support means and coupled to the first member for translating lateral movement of the member along the threaded portion of the shaft into a corresponding justable index means for indicating on the first scale the position of the support means with respect to the coil form and for simultaneously indicating on the second scale the lateral distance traversed by the wire guide assembly during coil winding. The margin length and coil length may be readily determined from the indications provided by the index means on the first and second scales.

For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects thereof, reference is had to the following description, and its scope is pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an illustration, partially cross-sectional, of one embodiment of an improved wire guide assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of one embodiment of an index subassembly constructed in accordance with the present invention, and

FIG. 3 illustrates the use of the assembly embodiment of FIG. 1 and including the sub-assembly embodiment of FIG. 2, in a multiple coil winding machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In FIGS. 1 and 3, the improved wire guide assembly embodying the invention includes a nonrotating guide shaft 10 driven laterally by a conventional drive mechanism in housing 11 of a multiple coil winding machine. Shaft 10 causes a wire guide support means 12 to move laterally with respect to a rotating, but laterally stationary, multiple coil from 13 so as to guide wires laterally along the coil form 13 during the coil winding process. The shaft 10 is given a threaded portion 14 whose length is at least equal to the maximum margin length desired for coils wound on the machine. As stated previously, a margin is established on both sides of each coil so that each coil may be readily cut from the multiple coil form after completion of winding. The margins may be equal on both sides of a coil, or unequal, depending upon the desired design characteristics of the coils being wound.

The improved assembly of FIGS. 1 and 3 further comprise wire guide means for guiding a plurality of wires onto corresponding portions of a coil form. This means is illustrated as cylindrical bar 15 circumscribed with grooves 16 and supported by the wire guide support means 12 substantially parallel to the coil form 13 and to the shaft 10. The wire guide means may also take other forms and may, for example, be a plurality of individual pulley-like wire guides mounted on and spaced along a central shaft, which is, in turn, supported at its ends by the support means 12.

The assembly of FIGS. 1 and 3 further includes a first member 17 which has a threaded hole that engages the threaded portion 14 of shaft 10. Member 17 freely rotates about the threaded portion 14 of shaft 10 and can be positioned at any point along the threaded portion by simply rotating the member about the shaft. In the specific embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 3, first member 17 is substantially annular in shape and has a first annular portion 18 and a second annular portion 19 of smaller diameter than the first portion, and is coupled to the wire guide support 12 by a coupling means 20 which is connected to support 12 and coupled to member 17. Means 20 translates lateral movement of annular member 17 into lateral movement of the wire guide support 12. Since wire guide support 12 is free to move laterally along the shaft 10,

the combination of annular member 17 and coupling means 20 will translate lateral movement of guide shaft 10 into corresponding lateral movement of the wire guide support 12.

The second portion 19 of annular member 17 freely rotates inside a sleeve 21 which is held in place on second annular portion 19 by retaining rings 22 and 23 (omitted from FIG. 1 for purposes of clarity). Sleeve 21 has a cylindrical pin 24 which extends radially upward through corresponding hole 25 provided in a rigid member 1 6. Rigid member 26 is connected to collar 27 of wire guide support 12 by welding, for example.

The combination of elements 21, 22, 23, 24 and 26 comprise coupling means 20, which translates the lateral movement of member 17 to a corresponding lateral movement of wire guide support 12. It is to be noted that the illustrated coupling means 20 is one of many which 0 could be used, and it is in no way intended to limit the invention to the specific coupling means shown.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the invention further comprises a first linear distance scale 28, which is affixed to the wire guide support means 12 by means of a base 29 and is stationary with respect thereto. A second linear distance scale 30 is also affixed to said wire guide support means 12 by means of base 29 but scale 30 is adjustable laterally with respect to support 12 and to said first linear distance scale 28. First scale 28 and second scale 30 are oriented parallel to the laterally driven guide shaft 10 and to the coil form 13. Second scale 30 is coupled to the base 29 via a threaded shaft 31, which is mounted on the base 29, and a pair of coupling members 32 and 33 which are connected to the base of scale 30. The pair of coupling members 32 and 33 are positioned on shaft 31 on each side of an adjustment wheel 34. The adjustment wheel has a threaded hole which engages the threaded shaft 31, and can bepositioned at any point along the shaft 31 by rotating the adjustment wheel about the shaft. Since the members 32 and 33 are movable laterally along shaft 31 and are connected to second scale 30, lateral movement of adjustment wheel 34 along the shaft is translated into lateral movement of second scale 30.

The invention further includes adjustable index means for indicating on the first scale 28 the position of the wire guide assembly with respect to the coil form and for simultaneously indicating on the second scale 30 the lateral distance traversed by the wire guide assembly during coil winding. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the index means comprises a support member 35 fixed relative to said coil form, and an index member 36, 37 coupled to support member 35 and laterally adjustable in relation to the first and second scales 28 and 30 for providing the desired indications. The margin length and coil length are readily determined from the indications provided by said adjustable index means on said first and second scales.

In the specific embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, support 35 is a cylinder having a slot 38 extending partially therethrough and offset from the center thereof. The cylinder is affixed to a stationary portion of the coil machine, such as the drive mechanism housing 11. The index member consists of an adjustable arm 36 having a two sided pointer 37. Arm 36 fits inside an oversize hole in support 35 with an adjustment wheel 39 positioned in the slot 38. Wheel 39 has a threaded hole which engages the threaded portion of index arm 36. Rotation of the wheel 39 in slot 38 causes lateral movement of arm 36 since the wheel itself is prevented from moving past the edges of slot 38 thus allowing the position of the pointer 37 to be adjusted laterally with respect to the first and second scales 28 and 30.

In the operation of the invention, before commencement of the coil winding process, shaft 10 is positioned at the left most point of its lateral motion by running the winding machine's drive mechanism until the shaft is driven as far to the left as it will go. Wire guide support 12 is then positioned at a starting point by rotating annular member 17 about shaft 10 in the appropriate direction until the wire guide grooves 16 are aligned with scribe marks on coil form 13, which indicate where the multiple coils will be separated from one another. Next, the

lateral position of index arm 36 is adjusted by rotating the adjustment wheel 39 in the appropriate direction so that pointer 37 indicates zero on first scale 28. This procedure establishes a fixed reference point with respect to which the position of the wire guide support 12 can thereafter be measured. Wire guide support 12 is then moved laterally to the right to established the desired margin length for the coils to be wound on coil form 13. This is done by rotating annular member 17 in the appropriate direction to move support 12 laterally to the right until the desired margin length is indicated on first scale 28 by the upper half of pointer 37.

After the margin length has been set, the position of second scale 30 is adjusted, laterally by rotating adjustment wheel 39, until the lower half of pointer 37 indicates zero on the second scale. This setting of second scale 30, as described, enables the direct measurement of winding length on scale 30, during the winding process independently of the reading on first scale 28.

In some winding operations, coils are wound with their several layers forming a truncated pyramid or trapezoid. Thus, after each layer of such a coil is wound, the margin length must be increased. This is readily accomplished in accordance with the present invention by merely repeating the margin length and winding length setting procedures described above. It should be noted, however, that index arm 36 is not readjusted after its initial setup. This establishes the zero" or reference point on scale 28 in relation to which all subsequent margin and winding length measurements are made during the coil winding process.

While there have been described what are considered to be typical embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention and it is, therefore, aimed to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a multiple coil winding machine of the type having a I wire guide assembly that includes a laterally driven guide shaft which causes the assembly to move laterally with respect to a laterally stationary multiple coil form, an improved wire guide assembly, comprising:

a nonrotating, laterally driven guide shaft having a threaded portion whose length is at least equal to the maximum margin length desired for coils wound on said machine;

wire guide means for guiding a plurality of wires onto corresponding portions of said coil form;

means for supporting said wire guide means substantially parallel to said coil form and to said shaft;

a first member, having a threaded hole which engages the threaded portion of the shaft, whereby said member can be positioned at any point along the threaded portion of said shaft by rotating the member about the shaft;

and coupling means, connected to said support means and coupled to said first member, for translating lateral movement of said member along the threaded portion of said shaft into a corresponding lateral movement of said support means relative to said shaft and to said coil formv 2. An improved wire guide assembly as described in claim 1,

further comprising:

a first linear distance scale, oriented parallel to said shaft and to said coil form, affixed to said wire guide support means and stationary with respect thereto;

a second linear distance scale, oriented parallel to said shaft and to said coil form, affixed to said wire guide support means and adjustable laterally with respect thereto and to said first linear distance scale;

and adjustable index means for indicating on said first scale the position of said support means with respect to said coil form and for simultaneously indicating on said second scale the lateral distance traversed by said wire guide assembly during coil winding, whereby margin length and coil length may be readily determined from the indications provided by said index means on said first and second scales.

3. An improved wire guide assembly as described in claim 1 wherein said first member is substantially annular in shape.

4. An improved wire guide assembly as described in claim 3 wherein said annular member has a first annular portion and a second annular portion of smaller diameter than said first portion and wherein said coupling means comprises a second member coupled to the second portion of said annular member so as to allow said annular member to rotate freely about said shaft and with respect to said second member.

5. In a multiple coil winding machine of the type having a wire guide assembly that includes a laterally driven guide shaft which causes the assembly to move laterally with respect to a laterally stationary multiple coil form, an improved wire guide assembly, comprising:

a nonrotating, laterally driven guide shaft having a threaded portion whose length is at least equal to the maximum margin length desired for coils wound on said machine;

wire guide means for guiding a plurality of wires onto corresponding portions of said coil form;

means for supporting said wire guide means substantially parallel to said coil form and to said shaft;

an annular member, having a threaded hole which engages the threaded portion of said shaft, whereby said member can be positioned at any point along the threaded portion of said shaft by rotating the member about the shaft;

a coupling member, connected at one end to said wire guide support means and coupled at the other end to said annular member, for translating lateral movement of said annular member along the threaded portion of said shaft into a corresponding lateral movement of said support means relative to said shaft and to said coil form, and for translating lateral movement of said guide shaft into lateral movement of said support means relative to said coil form;

a first linear distance scale, oriented parallel to said shaft and to said coil form, affixed to said wire guide support means and stationary with respect thereto;

a second linear distance scale, oriented parallel to said shaft and to said coil form, affixed to said wire guide support means and adjustable laterally with respect thereto and to said first linear distance scale;

and adjustable index means for indicating on said first scale the position of said support means with respect to said coil form and for simultaneously indicating on said second scale the lateral distance traversed by said wire guide assembly during coil winding, whereby the margin length and coil length may be readily determined from the indications provided by said index means on said first and second scales and whereby the margin length may be readily adjusted by positioning said annular member along the threaded portion of said shaft.

6. An improved wire guide assembly as described in claim 5, wherein said annular member has a first annular portion and a second annular portion of smaller diameter than said first portion, and wherein said coupling member is coupled to the second portion of said annular member so as to allow said annular member to rotate freely about said shaft and with respect to said coupling member.

7. An improved wire guide assembly as described in claim 5, wherein said adjustable index means comprises a support member fixed relative to said coil form, and an index member coupled to said support member and laterally adjustable in relation to said first and second scales for providing said indications. 

1. In a multiple coil winding machine of the type having a wire guide assembly that includes a laterally driven guide shaft which causes the assembly to move laterally with respect to a laterally stationary multiple coil form, an improved wire guide assembly, comprising: a nonrotating, laterally driven guide shaft having a threaded portion whose length is at least equal to the maximum margin length desired for coils wOund on said machine; wire guide means for guiding a plurality of wires onto corresponding portions of said coil form; means for supporting said wire guide means substantially parallel to said coil form and to said shaft; a first member, having a threaded hole which engages the threaded portion of the shaft, whereby said member can be positioned at any point along the threaded portion of said shaft by rotating the member about the shaft; and coupling means, connected to said support means and coupled to said first member, for translating lateral movement of said member along the threaded portion of said shaft into a corresponding lateral movement of said support means relative to said shaft and to said coil form.
 2. An improved wire guide assembly as described in claim 1, further comprising: a first linear distance scale, oriented parallel to said shaft and to said coil form, affixed to said wire guide support means and stationary with respect thereto; a second linear distance scale, oriented parallel to said shaft and to said coil form, affixed to said wire guide support means and adjustable laterally with respect thereto and to said first linear distance scale; and adjustable index means for indicating on said first scale the position of said support means with respect to said coil form and for simultaneously indicating on said second scale the lateral distance traversed by said wire guide assembly during coil winding, whereby margin length and coil length may be readily determined from the indications provided by said index means on said first and second scales.
 3. An improved wire guide assembly as described in claim 1 wherein said first member is substantially annular in shape.
 4. An improved wire guide assembly as described in claim 3 wherein said annular member has a first annular portion and a second annular portion of smaller diameter than said first portion and wherein said coupling means comprises a second member coupled to the second portion of said annular member so as to allow said annular member to rotate freely about said shaft and with respect to said second member.
 5. In a multiple coil winding machine of the type having a wire guide assembly that includes a laterally driven guide shaft which causes the assembly to move laterally with respect to a laterally stationary multiple coil form, an improved wire guide assembly, comprising: a nonrotating, laterally driven guide shaft having a threaded portion whose length is at least equal to the maximum margin length desired for coils wound on said machine; wire guide means for guiding a plurality of wires onto corresponding portions of said coil form; means for supporting said wire guide means substantially parallel to said coil form and to said shaft; an annular member, having a threaded hole which engages the threaded portion of said shaft, whereby said member can be positioned at any point along the threaded portion of said shaft by rotating the member about the shaft; a coupling member, connected at one end to said wire guide support means and coupled at the other end to said annular member, for translating lateral movement of said annular member along the threaded portion of said shaft into a corresponding lateral movement of said support means relative to said shaft and to said coil form, and for translating lateral movement of said guide shaft into lateral movement of said support means relative to said coil form; a first linear distance scale, oriented parallel to said shaft and to said coil form, affixed to said wire guide support means and stationary with respect thereto; a second linear distance scale, oriented parallel to said shaft and to said coil form, affixed to said wire guide support means and adjustable laterally with respect thereto and to said first linear distance scale; and adjustable index means for indicating on said first scale the position of said support means with respect to said coil form and for simultaneOusly indicating on said second scale the lateral distance traversed by said wire guide assembly during coil winding, whereby the margin length and coil length may be readily determined from the indications provided by said index means on said first and second scales and whereby the margin length may be readily adjusted by positioning said annular member along the threaded portion of said shaft.
 6. An improved wire guide assembly as described in claim 5, wherein said annular member has a first annular portion and a second annular portion of smaller diameter than said first portion, and wherein said coupling member is coupled to the second portion of said annular member so as to allow said annular member to rotate freely about said shaft and with respect to said coupling member.
 7. An improved wire guide assembly as described in claim 5, wherein said adjustable index means comprises a support member fixed relative to said coil form, and an index member coupled to said support member and laterally adjustable in relation to said first and second scales for providing said indications. 